by Sahara Foley
“No shit, Sherlock!” Sagano exclaimed as he opened his beer.
In the shade, they crowded around the small screen to view the tapes. There wasn't any talking, except Carter's narrative, and that stopped when the Tescara screamed, which froze everybody in their tracks.
Retired Captain Mike Reames was the first to react. “Holy fuck, Carter! What the hell is that thing? Is this a joke? That's what killed Flynn? This little animal?”
Suddenly, everyone was asking questions simultaneously, so Carter held his hand up for silence. “Well, Cathy? What do you have to say now about the possibility of danger, or that some unknown creature is roaming around that biologists have never uncovered?”
The Doctor studied Sagano's bandages for a second, then back to the small TV screen, where the frozen frame displayed the Tescara vaulting into the camera and tripod. She slowly shook her head. “John, everything you told me on the phone, and this tape, convinces me we must capture one, but alive and unharmed. We have to study the creature. Bringing one back alive could be the most important discovery of the century.”
“Doctor, how in the hell do you plan to capture one?” Sagano asked with a sneer. “And, if somehow you did, where the fuck do you think you're going to contain it? That bastard tore its way out of a big, stainless-steel cage Alvarez made specifically to hold it. Every one of us here, together, wouldn't be able to bend just one of those bars. That creature bent them all, in a split second.”
“Mister Sagano,” the Doctor responded tersely, “I am a scientist, and based on the information John revealed to me over the phone, I came prepared for whatever eventuality may unfold. In my truck are another cage, and a child-sized straitjacket with heavy web straps, along with leg manacles and handcuffs that we use on the gorillas, and other items I thought might be useful. I came here prepared to be convinced this creature was either some sick joke, or possibly the biggest discovery I have been involved with. The latter proves to be the case, and I intend to capture one, keep it heavily sedated, and transport it to the security cell in the zoo infirmary, which was constructed to contain the largest and strongest of the gorillas. We can contain the animal, of that I am sure, but we must capture it at all costs. We must.”
Sagano snorted. “Lady, I don't care if the cell was built to hold King Kong. I can promise you, your cell won't hold this little bastard.”
Alvarez nodded. “He may have a point, Doctor. We saw the Tescara in action, and, for its size, it's the strongest animal you can imagine. The creature jumped through the rear window while we were traveling at fifty miles per hour, got up, and ran away. That transpired after it was already sedated, then tore free of a big, webbed cargo net, plus broke out of the stainless-steel cage.”
Holding up her finger, the Doctor said with a smile, “Yes, but that's the point, don't you see? You were successful in sedating the animal. If that worked once, it will work again. All we have to do is keep the creature sedated, and it will be harmless. All you need do is sedate one again, and I will do the rest.”
“Yeah. Sure, Doc. Whatever you say,” Sagano said with disgust. “But you should think about this people. Last night, Alvarez shot that Tescara with enough tranquilizer to stop a charging rhino, and the little bastard was still able to jump up, ran about eighty feet, tore the rifle from John's hands, then jumped up on me. That's when the drug finally took effect, when it was wrapped around my head. In another ten seconds, I wouldn't have had a head left.”
Alvarez stopped the Doctor from talking by adding, “Yes Doctor, he is correct. We estimated it took almost a full minute before the tranquilizer took effect, and if John and Mark had been any closer, they would both surely be dead. Tescara kill very quickly, and from what we witnessed last night, they fear nothing.”
Pepper interjected, “While you experts stand here and argue, I'm going to my car for the equipment I brought. Come give me a hand, Mick and Daniels. And Captain, er, John, we'll be ready to go into the house with you, once we get equipped. If, that is, you still plan to search for the Tescara, sir.”
Carter studied her for a moment, then the rest of the group. “Well people, anyone want out?”
No one said a word, so Pepper, Daniels, and Mickosky walked away. They weren't gone but a few minutes, and came back under a staggering load of gear, which they carefully laid out in the yard.
Handing equipment out, Pepper instructed, “Everyone wears a bulletproof vest, as well as a riot-helmet with a face-shield, and a pair of these gloves I borrowed from my brother from the packing house. The gloves are heavy mesh-metal, and should give our hands some protection. At least they work perfect for knives and other sharp objects. We have four tranquilizer rifles and six riot shotguns, all fully loaded with .00 buckshot, so be careful where you point them. Each shotgun has ten rounds, and that's all I could acquire, so don't run out of ammo, or you lose your shotgun.
“Sergeant Alvarez, here are the two sound dishes you requested. Each sound dish has headphones, and I was told the batteries should last for about two hours. We have five propane lanterns and five flashlights, so we'll have plenty of light. Captain, uh, John, have you thought about what we might run into down there? I don't mean this Tescara thing, I mean if we're in a tunnel? What if we end up crawling one behind the other? Whoever is out front could be in a world of hurt I think, sir. Those bringing up the rear couldn't help him without the possibility of shooting him.”
“I think me and Mick should go in first. We're the youngest of the men, plus we'll be carrying picks and shovels, so we may be able to widen a tunnel if needed. What do you think, sir?” Daniels asked.
Carter nodded. “Alright, but let's see what we find down there first. Who knows, we may have to dig the entire way as these creatures are pretty small. They wouldn't need much of a tunnel to move around in.”
Looking around at his small group of volunteers which consisted of close friends and fellow officers, Carter was amazed they were willing to help him with his possible suicidal plan. Starting to feel the weight of having their lives in his hands, he asked, “I have to ask all of you a question, and if you don't want to answer, I'll understand. Why are you doing this? You know how dangerous catching this creature will be, and we could end up getting killed. Even if we get out in one piece, we can still get fired for this. Or even end up in jail. What we are doing is unofficial, and damned illegal.”
Pepper answered right away. “Sir, I've hated myself for being a coward. When we were at this house for the murder of that Mexican kid a few years ago, we were forced to turn in a false report stating the murder was by person, or persons, unknown, but probably another illegal alien. We all knew how he died. Well, I have to do this, or I'll never feel right about myself again.”
The other cops nodded in agreement, and even the retired Reames said, “Me too, Pepper.”
“You know why I'm here, John.” Doctor Lewis looked around the small group. “I have to get my equipment from the truck. Would one of your Officers give me a hand, please?” Mickosky gave an acknowledging nod, leaving with her.
Sagano stared daggers after the Doctor. “I'm here because I want to see the bastard dead, John. And I don't give a fuck what that screwy doctor friend of yours says either. I don't plan to take any chances. I'm gonna blast the little fucker the instant I see it, because I know what it can do. She can study a dead one just as easily.”
Fifteen minutes later, they were in the small, dirt room at the back of the basement, sweating profusely under all the armor and gear they were wearing. Because the power had been turned off, the single light bulb hanging from the cobwebbed ceiling didn't function, so the lanterns were lit, which added tremendously to the heat level. The room was about ten-foot square, had three dirt walls and an uneven dirt floor. With all their bodies in the room, it became smaller and hotter.
A few feet from where an old, rusty water pipe ran into the meter, stood a small piece of cardboard, leaning unobtrusively against the north wall. Using a shovel, Daniels pushed
over the cardboard. They all stared nervously at the small hole in the dirt wall. Kneeling with a flashlight, Daniels peered in as far as he could see.
Doctor Lewis snapped a picture, then measured the opening. “Twenty-four-inches wide and eighteen-inches high. Plenty big enough to drag a human body through I would say. How far does the tunnel go, Officer?”
Daniels raised the bulletproof face-shield of his riot-helmet and answered, “From what I could see, Doctor, the tunnel remains this size for only a few feet, then either gets bigger, or turns, because I can only see about three feet in. Mick, get started with a pick and widen this hole, will you?”
The rest of the group moved back, room permitting, so the big, blonde man could swing his pickaxe. After several strikes, a whole section of the wall fell in revealing a small room, about eight feet around, and four feet high. At the other end of the new room was another tunnel, but larger than the original opening, and it went directly west, toward the street in front of the house.
“Just as I expected, John,” Alvarez mumbled through his face-shield, “If I am right, this tunnel will lead to the sewer system under the street.”
“Captain, me and Mick will go first with the lanterns and shovels, and we'll see where this tunnel goes, if you don't mind?” Daniels said eagerly.
Carter shook his head. “No, Daniels. One of you takes a tranquilizer rifle, the other a shotgun and a shovel. If anything moves in there, start blasting with both guns, Paul. Don't take any chances with these things. They're deadly.”
The Doctor started to protest, so Carter stated loudly, “Shut up, Cathy. You don't know what we're up against, but I do. Unless you want to go in first, just keep quiet.” The Doctor looked down at her dusty tennis shoes. Carter continued, “Okay, if we have to kill the creature, we will, but I don't want anyone hurt by these things. Go ahead, Paul, and for God's sake, be careful.”
Ducking, Mickosky entered the smaller room, a shotgun in one hand, a shovel and lantern in the other; Daniels right behind him. A minute later, the pair was at the far wall where the other tunnel began. Mickosky began chopping at the tunnel entrance with the shovel. After a few strokes, the shovel struck something hard with a resounding CLANG that made them all jump. In less than a minute, the big blonde had a space cleared away to reveal red bricks, with maybe a dozen of them torn out.
“Just what I thought, John,” Alvarez excitedly said with a smile, “the sewer under the street. Widen the opening, Officer, so we can pass through.”
“John, wouldn't it be easier to go out and down the street to one of the manholes?” Pepper asked.
Reames spoke for the first time since they entered the house. “Dressed like this, Pepper, and carrying weapons? The neighbors would call the SWAT team on us, for sure. No, just go ahead, and we'll enter the sewers from right here.”
The waiting search party stood around sweating, but not as much as Mickosky and Daniels as they tore bricks out of the wall with their mesh-gloved hands, letting the bricks fall into the dark sewer, where they landed with loud, clinking echoes onto the sewer floor. When the opening was large enough for two people to pass through, Mickosky leaned out into the dark sewer with his lantern for a look.
With a blood freezing scream, Mickosky disappeared from the opening.
Jumping back, Daniels dropped his lantern, scrambling for the tranquilizer rifle that he had left leaning against the wall.
“What was it?” Carter yelled. “Where's Mick, Daniels? What happened?”
No one moved as they heard clicking and scratching on the worn, red bricks, sounding as though something was rapidly climbing the sewer wall.
Suddenly, a dirt-smeared face popped up in the opening.
Embarrassed, Mickosky apologized, “Sorry, Captain. The damn bricks gave way, and I fell in head-first. Guess you should watch your step when you climb through here, gang. Hey, Daniels, don't point that rifle at me, okay?”
Visibly shaking, Daniels raised the heavy rifle.
Looking around, Mickosky realized he was staring into at least three shotguns, and one pistol. “Hey, people, relax, it's just me. I fell in, that's all. Jeez, you look like you're going to shoot me or something.”
Pepper, the least affected, walked forward, holstering her pistol. “Sorry, Mick, we're all jumpy, I guess. What's in there anyway?”
Mickosky turned around, looking back into the sewer. “Well, I couldn't see much, Pepper. My lantern broke when I fell in, but it looks like you'd think any old sewer would look like. Smells like it too. Fetch a lantern, and I'll help you get through the opening.”
Four minutes later, with the scraping and clanging noises of their descent echoing around the tunnel, the Tescara hunters were finally standing in the rancid sewer. The sewer tunnel had plenty of standing room, and was wide enough for three people to stand side-by-side.
“Okay, Alvarez, which way?” Carter asked as he looked north, then south along the dark, rank sewer.
The thin man answered, “I believe we must separate in to two teams, and each group will go a different direction. Otherwise, we could walk down here for days, and never know if we were going the right way. The possibility of our group splitting up is why I asked Officer Kaslowski to bring two of the small radios the narcotic teams use when undercover.”
Carter wasn't keen on the idea of them splitting in to two groups, but no one had a better suggestion, so he finally relented, after making sure Sagano was on his team. Carter's team consisted of Sagano, Reames, Pepper, and himself. They would head south, and the other team north, with check-in calls every five minutes. Each team had one of the sound dishes, which allowed them to hear noises for quite a distance in front of them in the sewer.
Alvarez instructed the teams, “Watch for openings in the walls, and place the dish up to the hole. I believe they have dens where they retire, and if so, if we remain quiet, we may be able to hear them breathing. If I prove correct, contact the other team before proceeding. We should be together before we attempt to tranquilize one. Do you not agree, John?”
Carter nodded. “Right, Pete. If you find anything, call right away and wait until we're all there. And remember, please be careful. This is not a game.”
The two teams walked off in their designated directions. Pepper had the sound dish, and headphones, which negated her from being able to wear a riot-helmet, so Carter, Sagano and Reames went stride-for-stride with her. Carter and Reames were carrying the tranquilizer riles, with shotguns slung on their shoulders. Sagano also had a shotgun on his shoulder, but had one in his hands as well, ready.
As they advanced slowly along the dark, dripping sewer, Reames whispered, “We should have obtained a sewer map, John. We don't have any idea where we're headed, or where this sewer ends. What if there are some intersections along here?”
Before Carter could answer, Pepper stopped with her hand raised. The rest of South Team froze.
“What is it, Pepper?” Cater whispered. “What do you hear?”
Shaking her head, she said quietly, “Nothing, John, but look.”
Right then, Carter's small belt radio blared with, “North Team to South Team.”
Sagano jumped, and Reames looked as if he'd wet himself.
“South to North, go ahead.” Carter answered as he lowered the volume.
“We have openings in the east and west walls here, directly across from one another. Daniels wasn't able to hear any sounds in them. Alvarez thinks they're like the opening we came through, tunnels to each basement on this street, both sides.”
“Yeah, Mick, we're looking at a pair of them ourselves right now. What does Pete suggest?”
Alvarez came on. “John, I suggest you check each opening for any noises, but I do not think we will find anything in them. No, I believe we are looking for a single opening, where the den is, and where they should be sleeping right now, if they sleep that is. I believe the opening for the den will be larger and inclined, so when the water level rises in the sewer, it cannot get into the
den.”
While they were speaking, Pepper was checking each opening with the plastic dish, then shook her head.
“Okay, Pete, we're moving on now, there was nothing in these two.”
“Right, John. Keep us informed, please.”
South Team proceeded, watching Pepper as she tried to listen for noises in two more openings, and each time she shook her head. “Nothing, sir. I can only hear what sounds like dripping water in each of them. I can't really be sure, because I keep picking up loud rumblings from the traffic on the street. Whenever a vehicle drives over us, I can't hear a damned thing. They could be having a party in there with a hard rock band playing, and I wouldn't be able to hear it. Sorry.”
Reames said softly, “John, I agree with the Sergeant. I'll go ahead and shine my light into each hole, and when I find one with an incline, or set off by itself, I'll wave to you, then Pepper can listen for any sounds. Otherwise, we'll be wasting time on these other holes. It's amazing these creatures have actually dug tunnel entrances into every house on this block.”
“Yeah,” Sagano said in a hushed whisper, “and I'll take my light and look in the holes on this side, as you search the other side. We can cover more area that way. But, John, you put that tranquilizer rifle away and carry your shotgun, buddy. If one jumps out at us, I don't want to wait a minute before the fucking bastard is tranquilized.”
Carter nodded and exchanged rifles as Pepper moved aside so the two men could walk in front. She held a shotgun at the ready, her sound dish slung on her shoulder. Glancing over at Pepper in the mostly dark sewer, with the earphones on, wires hanging, the two-foot dish on her shoulder, and the big shotgun in her hands, Carter thought she looked like a damn alien from some weird movie.
They proceeded faster now, and by the time of their next check-in call, they had already searched six sets of openings. Then, they came to a large intersection where an east and westbound sewer junction met them.